This invention relates to a document processing device for preparing the document with a merge symbols inserted into the document, and more particularly to such a device that is able to select a data record unit to be merge-printed with the data stored in a merge data memory being displayed on a CRT display or the like.
There has been known in the art a document processing device such as a word processor with a merge function, in which, when sending letters containing the same information to a number of people, the address, name and like personal information is merge-printed at the desired position of the document at the same time as printing the basic document in the form of such information letters, thereby producing multiple information letters in sequence.
In such a device, merge symbols are entered into the desired merge print position in the document data during preparation of the basic document. A data record unit contains more than one such merge data related to each other (for example, names and addresses) classified by the merge symbol. Such data record unit, given their record numbers, are classified to correspond to individual names of letter receivers and are registered in the merge data memory. When performing merge-printing, a merge print menu is displayed at first to allow the operating person to specify the file name of the basic document together with the range of record numbers of the record data to be merge-printed which are stored in the merge data memory. The data record unit with the selected record number is thus merge-printed with the specified basic document to provide a required number of information letters or the like .
Accordingly, it has been impossible to specify merge printing while viewing the group of data record units stored in the merge data memory. Also, it has been necessary to specify the range of record numbers each time merge print is to take place. If the contents of the data record unit stored in the merge data memory is not known to the operator, it has been necessary for the operator to display the merge data list included in the group of data record unit on the screen and to take notes of the record numbers of desired data record unit. So it has been impossible to start merge print processing until specifying the range of merge print is completed referring to the notes of the record numbers taken in advance. This has resulted in a considerable length of time consumed before starting printing, adversely, affecting the operability of the document processing device.
In order to solve these problems, there has been an improved document processing device with means for displaying the contents of the merge data memory in the form of a table, and of the case that there is any change in address or telephone number in letter receivers, the group of data record unit stored in the merge data memory is first displayed on the display screen. Desired addition or change can thus be effected in the multiple data record unit classified by merge symbols and represented in the form of a table for each data record unit. For example when one or more new letter receivers are to be added, the existing group of data record unit on the display is followed by an additional data record unit corresponding to the receiver added. When deleting the data record unit for a letter receiver because of canceling the contract or similar reason, the cursor is moved to the beginning of the corresponding record data to mark the zone for deletion. The data record unit is then deleted by pressing a return key or an execution key, or continuously pressing the erase key.
Accordingly, in order to delete a specific data record unit out of the group of data record unit stored in the merge data memory, it has been necessary to operate a character erase key so much times to delete the unnecessary record data in case of serial operation of the erase key, while in case of utilizing repeat function of the character key, it has been likely to delete part of the data record unit following the unnecessary data record unit.
Furthermore, a newly added data record unit is placed following existing data record unit so that it cannot be arranged in the alphabetical order based on the name of letter receivers, resulting in a serious difficulty in searching for the name of a letter receiver.